Evicted ‘Big Brother Mzansi’ housemate Ash-ley Ogle opens up about her experience in the house

Ash-ley Ogle, the recently evicted Big Brother housemate, opened up about her time inside the “Big Brother” house. Reflecting on her journey, she shares how the experience kept surprising her and how she did not think she would make it inside the controversial house.

“It kept on surprising me from the time I submitted my audition video up until the day I left the house.

“It was full of surprises because, at first, I didn't think I was going to get in. I didn't even think my audition video was good enough,” she says.

She recalled the moment she received the email inviting her to join the show.

“I remember jumping for joy and then crying tears of happiness. It wasn't real to me at first. I'd been watching Big Brother since I was eight years old, and now I was actually on the show,” says Ogle.

The Durban-raised aspiring media personality attributed her success in the house to being her authentic self, saying she was not trying to be someone she wasn't, and adds that her true personality is who the viewers connected with.

The Big Brother Mzansi star candidly addressed the elephant in the room: her receipt of a strike from Big Brother due to misconduct during her time in the house.

The strike came after Kay B, a former housemate bravely shared her story of being sexually assaulted with the rest of the housemates during the first week Ashley was one of the housemates who were not supportive or sympathetic and even labelling KayB as “attention seeking.”

She acknowledged that the strike was “well deserved” and that it made her more reserved, but overall she cherished her time in the house.

She revealed that she's a soft person who sometimes comes across as assertive and she often says things that don't come out the way she intends them to.

When asked about the highs and lows of her experience, she shared that the good times definitely outweighed the bad. “I'm a person who always tries to focus on the positive,” she adds.

She joked that her fellow housemates would miss her “sweet Ash-ley moments,” particularly her affectionate interactions with Sweet Guluva, and also the Saturday night parties.

However, there was one thing she wouldn't miss: the capoeira workouts in the morning.

“I loved the exercise, but capoeira was just too intense for me,” she laughed.

The reality star also shared her thoughts on strategy in the “Big Brother” house. “I didn't have a strategy, but I noticed that 90% of the people in the house did. I didn't have a strategy because it's hard work to not be yourself,” said Ogle.

She believes that it's impossible to stick to a strategy in the house because eventually, one's true self will come out.

When asked if she thought anyone in the house was desperately trying to stick to a strategy, The 26-year-old replied, “I think most of them tried, but sometimes it falls apart. I'd say 95% of the time, it's not possible to stick to a strategy.” 

She exempted Sweet Guluva, saying he was one of the few people in the house who was being his authentic self.

Ogle’s plans for the future include pursuing acting, scriptwriting, and fashion. She enjoyed dressing up in the house and loves scriptwriting. Fun fact is that she has dabbled in a bit of scriptwriting and some radio.  

Finally, she expressed her gratitude for the opportunity to be on “Big Brother Mzansi” and for the support she received from her fans. She's excited to see what the future holds and is looking forward to pursuing her passions in the entertainment industry. 

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